


a conversation

by orphan_account



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Gen, but i tagged it because it's the subject of this fic, marilla is a good mom, the shirbert is only mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22444429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Marilla helps Gilbert gain perspective on some things
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Marilla Cuthbert, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 16
Kudos: 117





	a conversation

Marilla had just put a tray of plum puffs into the oven when she heard a knock on the door. She rushed to answer it, wondering if Rachel had at last learned the art of knocking that had seemed to elude her for so many years.

When Marilla opened the door, she was greeted by Gilbert Blythe standing outside, a slightly nervous smile on his face.

“Come in, come in.” Marilla said, moving back to the oven. The plum puffs could only stay in for a certain amount of time. Any more and they would be ruined. “And how many times do I need to tell you that you don’t have to knock here. You’re welcome any time.”

“At least once more, Ms. Cuthbert,” Marilla turned and saw Gilbert standing in the middle of the kitchen, fidgeting awkwardly, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself, “Is… is Anne here?”

So that was why Gilbert seemed so worried. Marilla suppressed the urge to laugh. It was clear that the boy was quite taken with Anne, and Anne with him. In fact, they were the only two who didn’t seem to realize their feelings for each other.  _ Young love _ , Marilla thought as she watched Gilbert tried and failed to look uninterested in the answer to his question,  _ is a silly thing _ .

“She’s out with Diana right now,” Marilla was glad that the two had made up from whatever quarrel they’d had. Anne moping around the house for the past few days had brought everyone’s mood down, “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a bit if you want to call on her.”

“No!” Gilbert said. He lowered his voice when Marilla gave him a questioning look. “I mean, I’m not avoiding her. I just- I came over here for a different reason. I wanted to make some cookies for Bash’s mom, to welcome her to the house and thank her for thanking care of Delly. But the recipe calls for vanilla, and we’re out of it. And I figured that it would be easier to just come here and borrow some instead of walking all the way to the store.”

Marilla gave Gilbert a concerned look. This rambling was very uncharacteristic of him and she had half a mind to check him for a fever. Instead she just nodded and reached for the vanilla on the shelf, quickly smelling it to make sure that it was the right thing. “My plum puffs will be done in a few minutes. You can take some with you as well.” Marilla said as she handed Gilbert the small bottle.

“Oh no, it’s-”

“I insist.” Marilla cut Gilbert off gently.

“Alright.” Gilbert said, a shy smile on his face. In that moment he looked so much like John that Marilla had to look away.

Marilla turned her mind onto other things, determined not to ruin a perfectly good morning by getting lost in the past. “How is Miss Rose?” The girl had seemed sweet in Marilla’s limited interaction with her at the fair.

“She’s good,” Gilbert ran a hand through his hair. His next words were so fast that Marilla barely caught them, “I’m going to propose to her.”

“Oh,” Marilla said. For the first time in years, she was at a loss for words, “That is… sudden.”

“I know, but… it feels right.” Gilbert’s sentence came out more like a question than a statement.

“Are you happy with her?” Marilla asked. She may have expected Anne and Gilbert to end up together in the end, but if Gilbert truly did love Winifred, then Marilla had no objections.

“I suppose,” Gilbert said, even though his body language belied his uncertainty, “I like talking to her, and she’s easy to be with.”

“What you’re describing sounds more like friendship than love,” Marilla carefully took the plum puffs out of the oven, placing them on the table as she waited for them to cool, “Are you sure you actually  _ want  _ to marry her?”

Gilbert looked away from Marilla. “Her father offered to pay for my admission to the Sorbonne. By marrying Winnie, I can achieve all of my dreams.”

Marilla could tell that this wasn’t the whole story. There was something that Gilbert wasn’t sharing with her. “If that is your only reason, then you would have proposed already.”

“There was something holding me back,” Gilbert said, “A girl. But she made it clear that there’s no chance for us.”

“Anne said no?” Marilla was surprised. 

“Basically, she-” Gilbert paused, a shocked expression entering his face, “You know about….”

“Yes,” Marilla smiled, “I do have eyes. And even if I didn’t, Rachel makes sure to point out all of the potential scandals often enough.”

Gilbert groaned. “Of course. Everyone in Avonlea probably knows how I feel for Anne. But it doesn’t matter, since she doesn’t reciprocate.”

“Exactly what did you say to Anne?” Marilla asked. She searched the kitchen for a basket to put the plum puffs in. She found one in the corner, hidden behind a stack of recipe books.

As Marilla started to put some of the puffs into the basket, Gilbert recounted his conversation with Anne. She listened attentively, turning to face him when he was done.

“You told her that she was the only thing holding you back from your dream?” Marilla recounted, trying to keep her tone gentle.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Gilbert frowned and cocked his head to the side. And perhaps he was the spitting image of John, but Marilla could also clearly see his mother in him. In his expressions and mannerisms.

“Well it is what you said,” Marilla sighed, “For all of Anne’s faults, she doesn’t have a selfish bone in her body. If she thought that she was keeping you away from what you wanted, she wouldn’t be very happy.”

“But- That’s not-” Gilbert stopped, turning on Marilla with pleading eyes, “What should I do?”

“Tell Anne,” Marilla said, “And make it clear this time.”

“But what if,” Gilbert’s voice broke. In that moment he looked more like a child than a boy of eighteen years, “What if she doesn’t feel the same?”

“Then she doesn’t,” Marilla was thrown back to the past. To doubts and worries and the gnawing what-ifs that still haunted her at night, “But trust me. If you don’t take this chance, you will never forgive yourself.”

Gilbert nodded. He seemed to get what Marilla was thinking about. “Thank you.” He said softly. 

Marilla only smiled, handing Gilbert the basket.

“I have to go to Charlottetown,” Gilbert said, “No matter what Anne feels, Winnie deserves to be more than a second choice. But when I come back,” he paused for only a second, “May I call on Anne?”

“Of course.” Marilla said. With a final smile, Gilbert left. Marilla watched him go, feeling nothing but pride.

**Author's Note:**

> please kudos and/or comment if you liked :)


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